Today we’d like to introduce you to Bernice Baran.
Hi Bernice, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up with a mom who was a baker, she catered European desserts for large Romanian weddings. I never really had any interest in baking as a kid but I did love watching my mom, it felt very therapeutic.
I went to nursing school and then while working as an RN, I slowly started baking and brought all my baked goods to coworkers. I briefly sold desserts in the beginning too but did not enjoy that at all. Eventually I realized I could still bake and turn this into a career by blogging. I spent all my days off work learning photography, and building my blog.
After having my first child, I cut back on nursing and eventually left to pursue Baran Bakery full-time. There was a lot of learning as I went—not just about baking, but about everything that goes into running an online business.
In 2021, I published my first cookbook, *Frosted*, which grew out of all the research and testing I had done with different types of frosting. Today, I’m a recipe developer, food photographer, cookbook author, and mom of three.
Baran Bakery started with desserts, and those are still a big part of what I do, but I’m expanding into homemade breads and everyday meals, too. I’m also learning to make more of my mom’s Romanian and Hungarian recipes and sharing that process. My focus is food that makes you feel good—from a beautiful cake for a special occasion to something you’ll actually make for your family during the week.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not! Baking, photographing, and blogging are one thing, but figuring out how to make a consistent income from them is another. I could spend all day developing recipes and creating content, but learning how to turn that work into a sustainable business has been a whole separate challenge.
The constantly changing platforms have probably been the hardest part. You learn search engine optimization, and the rules change. You learn photography, and suddenly everyone wants video. You learn video, and now it needs to be short-form. You figure out an algorithm, and it changes again. It can feel like you’re constantly starting over, even after years of experience.
I enjoy the creative work, but keeping up with all of that while running a business and raising three kids can be exhausting. I’m still learning how to adapt without letting every platform change dictate what I create.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m the recipe developer, photographer, and content creator behind Baran Bakery. I was best known for layer cakes and specifically working with different types of frosting, hence the cookbook. Lately my baking has evolved to be more broad but my approach is to perfect base recipes and then use those to turn them into any other flavor you want.
I also love to take classic desserts like Tiramisu and recreate those flavors in different desserts. One of my absolute favorite recipes on my website is my Tiramisu cookies and when I lack inspiration, I just take one of those classic desserts and reimagine it into a different form.
What sets my work apart is the combination of creativity and practicality. I don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel with every new recipe – I love playing with flavors and making something beautiful, but the recipe also has to be worth the time and ingredients someone puts into it. I put a lot of work into testing and explaining the details so readers understand the process and feel confident trying it themselves.
My European roots also influence my work. I’m currently on a mission to learn all of my mom’s Romanian & Hungarian recipes and share them alongside my own. & once I’ve learned the originals, I’ll take her recipes and turn them into unique flavors. I will truly never run out of ideas. I’m proud that I’ve allowed myself to pivot when I’m no longer inspired even if it’s the best business decision. I think it’s important to be excited about what you’re creating as a content creator.
How do you think about happiness?
Learning makes me happy. When I’m testing something new, I get really excited. I think it’s important to challenge ourselves regularly—it’s kind of like exercising our minds. There’s something really satisfying about figuring something out and being able to do something you couldn’t do before.
Lately, I’ve really enjoyed cooking and baking with my mom. I get to spend time with her while learning something and feeling productive. It’s also sentimental—some of these recipes come from my grandma, and being able to pass them down to my kids and share them with people around the world makes that time together even more meaningful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://baranbakery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baranbakery/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baranbakery
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@baranbakery
